Timberwolves NowA blog covering the Minnesota Timberwolves by the staff of the St. Paul Pioneer Press | TwinCities.com2015-03-03T05:36:38Zhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/feed/atom/WordPressagrederhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/?p=7552015-03-03T05:36:38Z2015-03-03T05:35:13ZWith about a minute left in the Los Angeles Clippers' 110-105 win Monday over the Timberwolves, J.J. Redick and Flip Saunders received double technical fouls. Here's what Redick had to say after the game: "I think there was a foul (on Kevin Garnett) on the play. I was kind of walking to get to my spot on free-throw line, and Flip was on the court -- I'm not sure why he was on the court. He was yelling and stuff, and I said (to an official), 'Get him off the court.' And Flip turned to me and said, 'Man, shut […]

]]>With about a minute left in the Los Angeles Clippers' 110-105 win Monday over the Timberwolves, J.J. Redick and Flip Saunders received double technical fouls.

Here's what Redick had to say after the game:

"I think there was a foul (on Kevin Garnett) on the play. I was kind of walking to get to my spot on free-throw line, and Flip was on the court -- I'm not sure why he was on the court. He was yelling and stuff, and I said (to an official), 'Get him off the court.' And Flip turned to me and said, 'Man, shut the (bleep) up.' And he said it like three times. I just walked to my spot, and I got a double technical for that.

"I should have kept talking, but all I said to (official) Josh (Tevin), 'I'm going to get my money back.' And he threw out for that.

"If I'm going to get thrown out, man, at least let me say some stuff, you know? Flip cusses me out and I say, 'I'm going to get my money back.' And I get thrown out for that. Whatever."

]]>0agrederhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/?p=7532015-03-02T23:24:39Z2015-03-02T23:24:39ZTimberwolves power forward Kevin Garnett shared the influence Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers had on his 20-year career. Garnett and Rivers will square off Monday at Target Center. The two were on the same side with the Boston Celtics from 2007 to 2013, including winning the NBA title in 2008. "Doc had a huge impact in my career," Garnett said after Monday's shoot-around. "Teaching us the true meaning of teamwork, teammates and having pride and playing for the next guy. Great time in my life, times I will never forget. Monumental times. Some of the best times of my […]

Garnett and Rivers will square off Monday at Target Center. The two were on the same side with the Boston Celtics from 2007 to 2013, including winning the NBA title in 2008.

"Doc had a huge impact in my career," Garnett said after Monday's shoot-around. "Teaching us the true meaning of teamwork, teammates and having pride and playing for the next guy. Great time in my life, times I will never forget. Monumental times. Some of the best times of my basketball career. Great teacher, great motivator."

]]>0agrederhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/?p=7512015-03-01T05:35:34Z2015-03-01T05:35:34ZTimberwolves coach Flip Saunders took issue with the interpretation of Kevin Garnett's intent when he slammed the basketball onto the floor and drew his second technical foul, and thus, an ejection in Saturday's 101-97 loss to Memphis. "Their argument was that you can't do that. My argument, by the rulebook, states that any action has to be in resentment to the call or a no call," Saunders said in the postgame presser. "What he did is he bounced the ball because he was frustrated with himself that he made a foul. In no way was it a resentment. You can […]

]]>Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders took issue with the interpretation of Kevin Garnett's intent when he slammed the basketball onto the floor and drew his second technical foul, and thus, an ejection in Saturday's 101-97 loss to Memphis.

"Their argument was that you can't do that. My argument, by the rulebook, states that any action has to be in resentment to the call or a no call," Saunders said in the postgame presser. "What he did is he bounced the ball because he was frustrated with himself that he made a foul. In no way was it a resentment. You can take the ball and throw it against the basket stanchion, if it's because you're disagreeing with the call then it should have been (a technical). My point is he wasn't disagreeing with the call. So when it was said that it's an automatic technical foul, it's not. By the rulebook, which I have right here, it's not."

Garnett, who has been ejected six times in a Wolves jersey, had left Target Center before the end of the game.

Referee Bennett Salvatore blew the whistle and T'd up Garnett after Garnett had a soft foul on Grizzlies forward Jeff Green. Afterward Saunders said he didn't know if Salvatore just lost track of how many technical fouls Garnett had and might not have given Garnett the second if Salvatore remembered Garnett's other one in the first half.

Saunders then referenced a March 2002 Wolves game where Seattle's Gary Payton was whistled for his second technical by referee Michael Smith. Smith had called a double technical on Anthony Peeler and Payton, but "changed his decision and only gave (Anthony) Peeler a technical, waving off the technical on Payton," according to then Wolves beat writer Steve Aschburner's tweet Saturday night.

Aschburner said Flip "flipped out" afterward.

Saunders, who was subdued Saturday, said, "We'll try to get a better interpretation, so we don't worry about it down the line."

]]>0agrederhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/?p=7462015-02-26T15:07:24Z2015-02-26T06:00:20ZTimberwolves coach Flip Saunders shared a story Wednesday from Kevin Garnett's rookie season that drove him in his career. In the preseason in 1995, Saunders recalled how the Lakers' Cedric Ceballos scored on the rookie Garnett and told KG, "You are not in high school anymore." "Well, (Garnett) remembered that, and everytime he played against him, (KG) went at him like there was no tomorrow," Saunders said. That memory is something that Garnett can instill in Andrew Wiggins and the fellow young Wolves players. For "those players to take names and numbers and always remember down the road to get back […]

Video of KG's introduction

]]>0agrederhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/?p=7432015-02-12T05:24:35Z2015-02-12T05:24:35ZTimberwolves rookie forward Andrew Wiggins was the inbounder on the final-second play during Wednesday's 94-91 defeat to Golden State. Coach Flip Saunders said Wiggins was trying to find Kevin Martin or Ricky Rubio but had to settle for Chase Budinger. Wiggins' pass was late, and Warriors guard Klay Thompson got a hand on it as time expired. Afterward, coach Flip Saunders was asked about the benefit of having Wiggins throw it in. "He's 6-9," Saunders said, before going into some interesting side notes. 1: "Depending on where you are at, in a lot of situations, if you are getting it with six […]

]]>Timberwolves rookie forward Andrew Wiggins was the inbounder on the final-second play during Wednesday's 94-91 defeat to Golden State.

Coach Flip Saunders said Wiggins was trying to find Kevin Martin or Ricky Rubio but had to settle for Chase Budinger. Wiggins' pass was late, and Warriors guard Klay Thompson got a hand on it as time expired.

Afterward, coach Flip Saunders was asked about the benefit of having Wiggins throw it in.

"He's 6-9," Saunders said, before going into some interesting side notes.

1: "Depending on where you are at, in a lot of situations, if you are getting it with six seconds, the inbounder a lot of times be the most dangerous guy you can do things with."

2: "He's our best passer outside of Ricky."

3: "He has a pretty good temperament. He will usually find the right person in situations. We just feel like he's one of our better guys there."

Wiggins said he didn't do much inbounding during his one-and-done season at Kansas. When asked what he'd prefer to do, Wiggins raised his hand and did a shooting motion.

]]>0agrederhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/?p=7412015-02-07T05:58:42Z2015-02-07T05:58:42ZBefore Ricky Rubio tweaked his left ankle in Friday's 90-89 win over Memphis, coach Flip Saunders said a decision needs to be made about the point guard's ongoing recovery. During a three-month layoff, Rubio was watched closely as his significantly sprained ankle dealt with complications. And part of his return hinged on how they were going to address him playing in back-t0-back games. That includes Sunday's game at Detroit and Monday's game vs. Atlanta. "When we first brought him back, doctors at first didn’t know if they wanted him in back-to-back situations," Saunders said. "So we will have to see how he […]

]]>Before Ricky Rubio tweaked his left ankle in Friday's 90-89 win over Memphis, coach Flip Saunders said a decision needs to be made about the point guard's ongoing recovery.

During a three-month layoff, Rubio was watched closely as his significantly sprained ankle dealt with complications. And part of his return hinged on how they were going to address him playing in back-t0-back games. That includes Sunday's game at Detroit and Monday's game vs. Atlanta.

"When we first brought him back, doctors at first didn’t know if they wanted him in back-to-back situations," Saunders said. "So we will have to see how he feels, if that’s changed, and we will have to make a decision if we play him in Detroit or hold him out and get his rest and play him Monday (vs.) Atlanta."

The Wolves had Rubio on a roughly 20-minute restriction to ease him back into games. He has played 21, 23 and 26 minutes in his first three games.

]]>0agrederhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/?p=7372015-01-29T18:08:38Z2015-01-29T18:01:42ZDuring Wednesday's Timberwolves game -- one of 82 -- Target Center's public-address announcer wasted little time before promoting Saturday night's game against Cleveland. "The most highly anticipated game of the year," he said early in the first quarter. On Thursday, the Wolves added to the hype machine. They posted a YouTube video titled #TheReturn which promotes the game without mentioning a certain power forward who was traded away last August. (You might have heard about it.) The parody lists all the big names coming to Minnesota -- LeBron, Kyrie, Dellavedova (!) -- and then it gets to the "headliner." But […]

]]>During Wednesday's Timberwolves game -- one of 82 -- Target Center's public-address announcer wasted little time before promoting Saturday night's game against Cleveland.

"The most highly anticipated game of the year," he said early in the first quarter.

On Thursday, the Wolves added to the hype machine. They posted a YouTube video titled #TheReturn which promotes the game without mentioning a certain power forward who was traded away last August. (You might have heard about it.)

The parody lists all the big names coming to Minnesota -- LeBron, Kyrie, Dellavedova (!) -- and then it gets to the "headliner."

]]>0agrederhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/?p=7322015-01-24T05:04:52Z2015-01-24T05:00:04ZThud. That's the sound of Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins hitting the rookie wall. Wolves coach Flip Saunders said that's what has happened over the last couple of losses, including Friday's 92-84 defeat by New Orleans. "I just think he is physically and mentally worn," Saunders said. "I think he has hit the rookie wall here for a little bit. Somehow we have to find a way to go right though it. He has to find a soft spot in that wall and bust right through that wall." After scoring a career-high 31 points against Denver on Jan. 17, Wiggins is […]

Wolves coach Flip Saunders said that's what has happened over the last couple of losses, including Friday's 92-84 defeat by New Orleans.

"I just think he is physically and mentally worn," Saunders said. "I think he has hit the rookie wall here for a little bit. Somehow we have to find a way to go right though it. He has to find a soft spot in that wall and bust right through that wall."

After scoring a career-high 31 points against Denver on Jan. 17, Wiggins is shooting 34 percent (16 of 47) in the last three games.

]]>0agrederhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/?p=7302015-01-21T23:39:42Z2015-01-21T23:39:42ZIf the Timberwolves lose to the Dallas Mavericks tonight, it will equal the worst record at the halfway mark of any of the 26 seasons of in franchise. With a loss, the Wolves (7-33) would match the 1991-92 and the 2007-08 seasons for the fewest wins through 41 games. If they win, the Wolves would match the inaugural season (1989-90) for second-fewest wins (8). Here's a list of have the Wolves have faired in the first half of the opening 25 seasons. 1989-90 -- 8-33 1990-91 -- 14-27 1991-92 -- 7-34 1992-93 -- 10-31 1993-94 -- 14-27 1994-95 -- 10-31 1995-96 […]

]]>0agrederhttp://blogs.twincities.com/timberwolves/?p=7282015-01-12T20:29:53Z2015-01-12T20:29:53ZAs the Timberwolves’ trio of injured starters continues to have positive steps in rehabilitation, another key player is now hurt and will miss multiple games. Forward Shabazz Muhammad has an external oblique strain and is will be reevaluated in two weeks, the team said. Muhammad, a second-year scorer, had shined in extended playing time over the last few weeks. “It could change but right now the prognosis is see where he is at (in a couple weeks),” coach Flip Saunders said. “He has an abdominal strain and those things can be very delicate. You don’t want them to turn into […]

]]>As the Timberwolves’ trio of injured starters continues to have positive steps in rehabilitation, another key player is now hurt and will miss multiple games.

Forward Shabazz Muhammad has an external oblique strain and is will be reevaluated in two weeks, the team said. Muhammad, a second-year scorer, had shined in extended playing time over the last few weeks.

“It could change but right now the prognosis is see where he is at (in a couple weeks),” coach Flip Saunders said. “He has an abdominal strain and those things can be very delicate. You don’t want them to turn into anything more serious.”

Muhammad missed the fourth quarter of Friday’s 98-84 loss to Milwaukee and all of Saturday’s 108-93 loss to San Antonio. Muhammad has averaged 13.7 points and four rebounds this season.

The positive news was center Nikola Pekovic (ankle) and guard Kevin Martin (wrist) participated in all of Monday’s one-hour, 45-minute practice, including full-contact drills. Meanwhile, guard Ricky Rubio (ankle) also participated, but not in contact drills.

Also, center Gorgui Dieng (illness) didn’t practice. Saunders said it was a sore throat and not the flu that affected Saunders, Robbie Hummel and Chase Budinger last week.